Agenda item

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 27 September 2023 and to consider the matters arising update and the Quarterly Operating Report.

Lead: Chair and Martin Tugwell

3.1           The minutes of the meeting of the Transport for the North Board held on 27 September 2023 were considered.

3.2          Members received at the same time a written update on matters arising (including a copy of the Quarterly Operating Report) from the Chief Executive.  The Chief Executive noted that at the last meeting, Board had agreed its response on Ticket Office closure proposals put forward by the train operators, which the Government has subsequently instructed operators to stop. He noted that there are on-going conversations through the Rail North Committee on opportunities to redefine the role of stations in their communities through the ‘Stations as a Place’ initiative promoted by Northern. He also noted that the new statutory advice on rail issues in and around Manchester/Stockport, which was signed off at the previous meeting was even more relevant given the decision to cancel HS2 phases 2a and 2b.   

Members were informed that there will be a substantive item on buses at the next meeting and their attention drawn to the current position on the proposals for the major road network set out in the note. He then informed Board that the next TfN Conference will take place on the 5 February 2024 in Liverpool. Members will be receiving further information about this shortly.

3.3          Mayor Brabin requested that the minutes of the previous meeting recorded her contribution to the discussion on the future of HS2: specifically, the concern she expressed about the impact that cancelling later phases of HS2 would have for the North as a whole, and her concern about the lack of progress with identifying a long-term solution Leeds Station. The meeting agreed to so amend the minutes.

3.4          Cllr Hughes raised, in the context of the Government’s Network North announcement, the issue of the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) and requested clarity on whether this would be an annual award, as working in this way hinders forward planning.

3.5          Cllr Mundry raised his concern that the North had lost out on funding following the cancellation of HS2 Phases 2a and 2b. Additionally, he emphasised the importance of having mechanisms put in place to monitor progress with how the money is being spent.

He also requested that the Western link in Warrington be included in future thinking on investment priorities.

The Chair agreed that progress in delivering commitments set out in the Network North document need to be monitored.

3.6          The Chair welcomed Ms Ward and expressed TfN’s eagerness to work with the Department to get the best deal for North following publication of the Network North document. He stated that the conference announcement had given rise to widespread concerns across the North of England. 

3.7          On the issue of HS2 Ms Ward recognised that the decision taken on this would not be one that everyone on the TfN Board would support. She was keen that the TfN Board and the Department explore collaboratively how the opportunities presented in the Network North proposals can be grasped. 

Addressing the issue of long-term funding certainty raised earlier by Cllr Hughes she stated that huge strides have been made in this area in recent years and that aspects of the Network North document look to build on that.  She highlighted a number of areas where the Department has put long term funding in place including City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS) allocations, local highways maintenance allocations, and the prospect of Local Integrated Transport Settlements (LITS) for local authorities outside of Mayoral Combined Authorities.

She stated her belief that this has the ability to be transformational in local places and make a difference to the way people perceive investment in transport and address concerns that the general public may have.  She emphasised the fact that Network North will provide a transformational opportunity to drive better connectivity within towns, as well as between towns and cities, and improve everyday journeys for the public. 

She emphasised to the Board that the Department is ready to work with it and TfN officers.

On the issue of BSIPs she set out the progress that has been made since securing long term funding  across some Departmental budget lines. She highlighted the decisions of Ministers as evidence that they understand how long-term certainty is what will make the biggest difference.  She also highlighted the significance of the Government investment to support the £2 bus ticket initiative.

3.8          Cllr Gannon highlighted the fact that the investment decisions being made are ultimately Treasury decisions. He welcomed the long term funding approach and the amount of money that the North East will be receiving for transport as part of their new Mayoral Combined Authority. However he then served to illustrate how, if the figures are broken, the amount of additional money would be around £140 million up to 2027.  He emphasised that whilst an increase in funding was always to be welcomed, the reality was that it would not be enough to achieve the agreed policy outcomes for the North East.

3.9          Mayor Coppard asked whether the Secretary of State had been invited to the meeting. In addressing the issue of cynicism around the Network North announcement Mayor Coppard stated that this comes from the communities that Board Members represent where they have had to endure sub-standard transport for many years. After being promised improvements, these have been taken away and replaced with a series of announcements that do not have planning and business cases in place and which will take years to deliver.    

He reminded the Board that South Yorkshire is the biggest region in the country not to be granted BSIP money and that there has been a 40% decrease in bus routes across South Yorkshire over the last decade. He stressed the urgency of this matter and looked for comments as to how this can be addressed as people are missing out on important everyday events due to there being no available bus services. He requested data on the extent to which the £2 bus fare has driven up demand.

The Chair informed Board that Ministers had been invited but the meeting clashed with Transport Ministers’ Questions in Parliament. The TfN Executive was liaising with Ministers’ private office on inviting Ministers to attend a future Board meeting.

3.10       Mayor Brabin highlighted that travel between Manchester and Leeds is always going to be a challenge, with 46% of rail journeys delayed or cancelled: she argued that improving East West connectivity is an issue that Network North does not address sufficiently. She looked for a commitment for the  T-shaped station at Leeds as the long-term solution for the station, which is the 3^rd largest source of delays across the entire rail network. She emphasised that without a fundamental shift in capacity, fast trains from the new Bradford station and Manchester will not be able to get into Leeds.

On the issue of the safeguarded land, she stressed that this must continue for the present because priorities change and TfN must ensure that decisions made now do not curtail ambition for the future. She requested that the Department works with Leeds City Council to ensure that this is the case.   

Whilst welcoming the money being spent for a mass transit system for Leeds, she sought clarity from the Department as to how the remaining Leeds Area Study money will be spent. Mayor Brabin emphasised the importance of the electrification of both the line between Leeds and Sheffield and that to Hull.

3.11       On the issue of Manchester to Liverpool rail connectivity, Cllr Mundry emphasised the importance of Warrington Bank Quay station and asked for it to be included as part of the consideration of that link. He also suggested an opportunity for a turnback in Warrington which will double the capacity between Manchester and Liverpool at a minimal cost. Mayor Rotheram was supportive of the need to consider such suggestions.

3.12       In response to Members’ questions and comments Ms Ward addressed a number of the points. She confirmed that she will ensure Members views will be shared with Ministers.

On the points on funding levels she acknowledged the Board’s concerns on this; however, she shared her experience of working with local authorities on securing local growth deals and associated funding and stated the benefits of funding being consolidated to provide longer term. She highlighted that this is what is now being done through successive rounds of CRSTS and the new local integrated funding settlements. 

She  acknowledged that there will be differences of opinion as to what is new and old money but emphasised that there has been a shift in the emphasis given within the Department on the North’s needs. 

In addressing Members’ comments on buses Ms Ward offered to try to get the Director with responsibility for buses to attend the next TfN Board meeting.  She recognised Members’ concerns about the BSIP funding and understood the concerns expressed as to what the lack of BSIP funding meant for a number of TfN partners. She stated that she would take away for further consideration the comments made by Mayor Coppard with regards to the issues in the South Yorkshire area.

On the issue of increased bus patronage (as a result of the £2 fare initiative), Ms Ward stated that the Department does not currently have full national picture; however she noted that on some routes and in some places there has been a demand effect but cautioned as to whether this is solely due to the £2 fare.

3.13       Mayor Rotheram expressed his disappointment that the funding previously identified for HS2 has not all been allocated to the North and requested clarity from the Department as to how the HS2 funds have been reallocated.  Additionally on the issue of BSIP he suggested that it should be a priority to get a fleet of zero emission buses across the North in support of its ambitions to decarbonise the transport system and improve air quality.  

3.14       Cllr Gannon highlighted the impact of the £1 bus fare for under 21s in North East and committed to making this information available to the TfN executive.

3.15       Ms Ward sought to clarify how the money previously allocated to HS2 would be allocated.  She explained that the money allocated to HS2 in the North would be spent on projects in the North, which is a total of £19.8 billion.

3.16       Mayor Coppard built on comments made by Mayor Rotherham and supported the need for clarification on the full costs being saved as a result of the cancellation of HS2 and how this money will be allocated to the North.

3.17       In summing up the discussion, the Chair noted that whilst the progress being made with Combined Authorities in terms of devolution and longer term budgets was welcomed, it was clear that the concerns of Board meant that clarity is still needed on a number of significant issues. 

Resolved:

1)   That the minutes of the Transport for the North Board held on 27 September 2023 be approved as a correct record.

2)   That the written Matters Arising update and the Quarterly Operating Report, be noted.

3)   That Ms Ward’s update on Network North and Member’s comments be noted.